


Fodlan's Stage

by Iusedtobeinwonderland



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Arranged Marriage, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Melodrama, Mild Kink, Multi, Political Alliances, Polyamory Negotiations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:02:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27767191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iusedtobeinwonderland/pseuds/Iusedtobeinwonderland
Summary: Byleth dies at the start of the war, leaving Fodlan's fate uncertain as the three powers of Fodlan duke it out for the high crown. A political melodrama with eventual smut in which everyone is sleeping with everyone, marriage be damned. More relationship tags to be added as the story progresses.Hilda navigates her complicated relationships and the complicated of politics with Claude by her side. Claude struggles with leading the Alliance and finds comfort in the rare embrace with Dimitri. But traitors and daggers wait behind every corner.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro, Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Marianne von Edmund, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hilda Valentine Goneril, Hilda Valentine General/Marianne von Edmund/Raphael Kirsten, Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan, Hilda Valentine Goneril/Raphael Kirsten, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Hilda spotted Marianne across the crowded dining hall of the Riegan Palace, and held up two teacups. Marianne smiled bashfully at her, and nodded, before turning and walking away. Hilda was growing tired of being approached by seemingly every lord in the Alliance. Being the wife of the Grand Duke, she supposed it came with the territory, but honestly, can’t she just enjoy the party? No, she had to deal with everyone trying to curry favor with her in an attempt to sway Claude to their own goals. At least she didn’t have to deal with Lorenz; he often spoke to Claude directly, which saved Hilda from having to deal with his… tactless pretensions.

“Lady Hilda!” A voice called over the clamor of voices. Hilda sighed internally, before throwing on a winning smile and turning to the voice. It was Ignatz, with Raphael’s little sister Maya on his arm. Hilda relaxed a little. At least Ignatz didn’t have a head for politics.

“Ignatz! Maya! Are you two enjoying yourselves?” Hilda asked, setting the teacups down on a nearby table.

“It’s wonderful!” Ignatz said, beaming. “I think it’ll be a perfect setting for my next painting!”

“You really outdid yourself, your Grace.” Maya said quietly. Around her neck was a necklace that Hilda had made for her.

Ignatz looked around, before leaning in and whispering to Hilda, “He’s been delayed, the roads were damaged in an attack by the Empire. He sent this ahead for you.” Ignatz slid a slightly crumpled envelope into the hidden pocket of Hilda’s dress. Hilda kept her smile firmly in place, but it no longer reached her eyes. She had been really looking forward to his arrival in the morning.

“Do you know by how long?” Hilda whispered.

“At least two days.” Ignatz said, smiling sympathetically. “I’m sure if he could’ve made it here on time, he would’ve.”

Of course he would’ve. Raphael was much like a puppy in that way.

“Thank you, Ignatz.” Hilda said. “Oh, by the by, Claude and I would like you to paint our portrait, for our anniversary. Two portraits, actually. One for posterity and the other for our bedroom.”

“Of course, your Grace.” Ignatz said.

An arm slid around Hilda’s waist, and the scent of Claude’s cologne surrounded Hilda. “My lady.” He purred in her ear. She leaned into him. “Ignatz! How’s the painting coming!”

Hilda listened to Ignatz and Claude make small talk, painfully aware of how close Claude’s hand was to the letter in her pocket. When she spotted Marianne standing by the balcony, she jumped at the chance to take her leave. “My lord, Marianne and I are going to take a cup of tea on the balcony.”

“Is it too crowded in here for you?” Claude asked.

“That, and I can just feel Lord Arundel working up the confidence to try speaking to me again.” Hilda said.

“I had better go dissuade him of that notion.” Claude said with a smirk. “Will you be back for the dances?”

“Of course.” Hilda nodded, and gave Claude a quick peck on the cheek, squashing down the guilt that rose up in her as thoughts of Raphael flitted through her mind. She bid goodbye to Ignatz and Maya, and grabbed the two teacups before heading off to Marianne. Marianne was holding a teapot gingerly by the tea cozy.

“I had the cook brew a little of the rose petal and a little mint for you.” Marianne said as they walked to the bench on the balcony. “And a waiter will be bringing us pastries as soon as they’re out of the oven.”

“You have no idea how much I needed this tea.” Hilda said. “I only wish we could take it in my room so I could lie down.”

“Parties do tend to be draining.” Marianne said as she poured the tea.

“Parties aren’t parties anymore!” Hilda complained. “They’re work! They’re politics!”

“And we both know how much you hate working.” Marianne said. “But Raphael will be coming tomorrow morning and then we can all relax.”

Hilda shook her head. “He was delayed.”

“Oh.” Marianne said sadly. She had been looking forward to spending time with Raphael too.

Hilda pulled the letter from her pocket. “He sent this ahead for me.”

“Open it!” Marianne urged.

Hilda sighed. “Should I? I feel so guilty.”

“Does Claude not know about Raphael?” Marianne asked. “I thought you and Claude had an arrangement?”

“We do.” Hilda said, “but I haven’t had the chance to bring it up since I started seeing Raphael. Between Lorenz and the war…”

Marianne nodded, before an utterly childlike look of mischievous imagination came over her face. “It’ll be like those courtly love stories! You’re married to Claude but you’re in **love** with Raphael!”

Hilda shook her head, smiling a little since she was too tired to laugh. “Ashe has really gotten you hooked hasn’t he? Besides, I don’t know if it’s that serious with Raphael yet.”

“Open it,” Marianne said again, “and drink your tea before it gets cold.”

Hilda broke the seal on the letter and unfolded it, sipping on her tea, letting the rose and mint soothe her. Marianne sat quietly next to her as she read Raphael’s chicken scratch. She could just imagine him gingerly holding the tiny quill in his massive hands.

"Hey Hilda! I hope this letter finds you well."

Raphael had never been one for the flowery prose of the nobility.

"I’m really sorry I couldn’t make it to the palace in time. There’s a monster carcass blocking the road, and it’ll take at least a day to move it. This route was supposed to be our detour to avoid most of the damage that last battle caused, but I guess we didn’t take enough of a scenic route. I miss you. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. I miss waking up next to you and having a big meal while you drink your tea. I miss your hair, and your eyes, and your laugh. I wanna hold you and give you a big squeeze so you can feel how much I missed you.

The good news is, the delay should only be a day or two. I brought you and Claude presents. There’s more presents for you than for Claude, but I’m sure you don’t mind, right? I got you a bunch of beads and dried flowers for your perfumes and jewelry!

I can’t wait to see you. Thinking of you always. I love you.

Raphael"

Hilda smiled at Raphael’s jovial tone. He was such a sweetheart. And Hilda ached to have Raphael’s arms around her, holding her as she slept. His arms reminded her of home.

“Well?” Marianne asked.

“He’s as sweet as always.” Hilda said, sighing and putting the letter back in her pocket.

“Should’ve married him instead of Claude.” Marianne said.

“If I had any choice in the matter I would’ve.” Hilda sipped her tea, keeping an eye out for the waiter. “I’d only have to deal with the occasional monster carcass instead of Lord Arundel.”

“Oh, I don’t think I could make that choice.” Marianne said. “They both sound equally unappealing.”

“My ladies.” A waiter called as he approached. He was wearing a decorative mask as was the style, and his hair was a vibrant orange. He bowed to them both, holding out the tray of pastries. Hilda and Marianne made room on the bench for the tray, and picked off a couple, thanking the waiter.

“I don’t think I could stomach your husband either.” Hilda said to Marianne, carefully surveying the pastry. She smiled at the layers of chocolate and caramel that had been laid in between the fluffy sugary dough. This one had been baked into a crescent moon shape, similar to the crest House Reigan bore. Also on the tray were hearts, which Hilda insisted be at the ready at almost all hours of the day. “Right at this very moment Ashe is with Dimitri at Ferdhiad being paraded around on Dedue’s arm when the whole country knows **you’re** Ashe’s wife! The embarrassment would kill me!”

“Why do you think I’m here?” Marianne asked. “I can go where I please most of the time, see who I want to see. I ignore his indiscretions, he ignores mine, we see each other once a year to fulfill the marriage contract.”

“But he doesn’t respect you!” Hilda protested. “You deserve better!”

“I have you.” Marianne said to Hilda with a shy smile, reaching out to hold her hand. Hilda’s fingers interlaced with Marianne’s, sighing as she began to have that happy hopeful feeling that maybe everything would be okay. But then she noticed that the waiter was still there, looking almost expectantly at Hilda.

“Is there something else?” Hilda asked the waiter with an edge to her voice. She knew, of course, that the waitstaff and servants of her house were always spying on her for someone, but she usually insisted they not be so… blatant about it. The waiter’s mask heightened her anxiety, Hilda couldn’t tell which servant was watching her and Marianne cozy up; couldn’t tell who would learn of it by the evening’s end. At least they were only holding hands…

The waiter reached up and untied the loops of ribbon holding the mask in place. His orange hair flopped into his eyes, and he pushed his hair back with a roguish smile and the confidence of a man who’s never been the odd one out for once in his life. His signature grin combined with the evening wear servants wore made him look just like he had at the academy before the world had torn itself apart, and Hilda was slung back in time to when they were first meeting at the academy.

Hilda had just wanted some tea, and he was easy enough to manipulate. He just had to be so… cute about it. His confidence in his tacky jokes was just part of the charm, and his indignant outrage at the revelation of her manipulation solidified him as one of her favorite conversational partners.

She remembered their tea parties, each of them defaulting to their flirtatious personas at first but slowly, as the world began to get darker, they dropped them. Ferdinand revealed the rumblings of… something… happening in the empire. He didn’t know what it was, and it terrified him because his father insisted nothing was wrong. And Hilda had confessed her worries about Claude and the uncertainty of the Alliance’s future. House Reigan’s dominance wasn’t assured just yet, and civil war had seemed eminent.

She remembered, just before the war broke out and Edlegard attacked the Holy Mausoleum, laying in Ferdinand’s bed, her hand on his chest, watching the dust float in the sunshine flooding through the window. He was playing with her hair, she was listening to his heartbeat, and all their worries seemed so far away. She knew back then that it wouldn’t last, that it couldn’t. She could almost taste in the air that something big was about to happen, and that just made her treasure the peace that Ferdinand brought her all the more. The last moment of calm before the tsunami of war that destroyed everything Hilda knew.

“Ferdinand?” Hilda gasped in disbelief, snapping herself from the avalanche of memories that had dazed her momentarily.

At the same time, Marianne dropped her teacup. “Guards!” She shouted, calling her magic to her fingertips. Ferdinand took a step back, his eyes looking for an exit and his ears pricked listening if anyone had heard Marianne.

Hilda turned to Marianne, holding a finger to her lips. “Shh!”

Marianne’s mouth opened and closed, forming words and half saying them as she struggled to formulate coherent thought at Hilda’s welcoming of the enemy’s third in command having appeared on the balcony of the Reigan Palace. “But… **he**! Hilda, have you lost? What…?”

“I mean no harm!” Ferdinand said, smiling winningly at Marianne. Marianne blushed furiously and glared at Hilda.

“My love, I promise to explain anything and everything!” Hilda said hurriedly. “Promise not to tell a soul!” She held out her pinky expectantly. Marianne flushed an even deeper scarlet, and her eyes revealed the depths of her displeasure at the situation, but she crossed her pinky with Hilda’s, grabbed the remainder of the sweets, and crossed to the other side of the balcony to give them privacy.

“What are you doing here?” Hilda hissed at Ferdinand. “Are you insane? If you got caught, the scandal! One of the Empire’s most powerful generals, dressed as a servant in the palace of his enemy?!”

“I missed you!” Ferdinand said simply, grinning bashfully and pulling Hilda in for a hug. “I thought you’d be happy to see me!”

“Give me a moment to get over the sheer audacity and I might be!” Hilda muttered, the scent of Ferdinand’s sweet cologne invading her nostrils. She suddenly realized how much she had in fact missed him, and she clung to him, burying her face in his chest and letting out a shaky breath. Everything was not fine, but as long as he held her and they swayed back and forth on the balcony, she might convince herself things were going to be okay.

“Hey… it’s okay, I promise.” Ferdinand cooed at her, kissing her forehead. His voice was gentle and sweet as he whispered to her, “I won’t have a chance to send you letters for a while, and I wanted to see you.”

“What do you mean?” Hilda asked, “What’s happening?”

“We’re going on a trip.” Ferdinand said evasively, and Hilda sighed. That’s right. They were, after all, on opposing sides. “We won’t be staying in one place for too long and sending letters would be suspicious.”

“So you decide to take a solo trip deep into enemy territory?” Hilda asked incredulously.

“I was in the area.” Ferdinand said nonchalantly. “And besides, what’s love without a little danger?”

Hilda filed away Ferdinand’s words for a later time. “How long can you stay?” She asked breathlessly.

Ferdinand pressed his lips together. “I can see you in your rooms tonight… but I have to leave in the wee hours.”

Hilda smiled and arched a brow. “Just like back at the academy, hmm?”

“Yeah except instead of Seteth giving me detention it’ll be Claude shooting me through the eye with an arrow.” Ferdinand quipped back. He chanced a nervous glance back to the party. “I have to go. I’ll see you later tonight, okay? I’ll knock four times!”

“Okay, be sa-“ Hilda started to say, but she was cut off by Ferdinand pulling her close to him and smashing his lips into hers. Hilda could feel his hunger, his need for human touch and affection, but as he kept kissing her, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth, she felt another need stirring within him. His arm wrapped around her hip, crushing her body into his. Memories flashed before Hilda’s mind’s eye of frenzied kisses of passion in the hidden corners of Garach Mach, and it was startling how much had changed, but Ferdinand’s kisses still swept her off her feet.

“Hey!” Marianne hissed, a warning echoing through the night. Immediately, Ferdinand and Hilda jumped apart. Hilda sat down on the bench, taking her fan out of her pocket and unfurling it to hide her face. Ferdinand fluidly bent down to pick up the shards of the tea cup Marianne had broken, pulling his mask onto his face once more.

Marianne had turned to wave at Ignatz, who had emerged from the party onto the balcony.

“My ladies!” He called. “The dance is starting soon!” He blushed at Marianne. “I was wondering if I could escort you for the first dance, Marianne. For old time’s sake?”

“Oh!” Hilda gasped dramatically. “Marianne over me! I’m insulted!” She stood with a flourish of her dress, whispering a thank you to Ferdinand, and swept over to Marianne and Ignatz. She smiled winningly at Ignatz so the anxious man would know she was joking. “Make sure you dance with me tonight, too, Ignatz!”

“Of course, milady!” Ignatz stammered. He offered each of them one of his arms. “I hear we’re dancing the Duscan Boar first!”

Marianne hummed. “I’ll be dizzy by the end of it, I’m sure.”

As the three of them returned to the grand hall, Hilda stole a glance over her shoulder to take one final look at Ferdinand. She was incredibly anxious at the thought of him being here, but she could’ve swore she saw him wink as she stepped out of eyesight.


	2. Chapter 2

Hilda’s eyes swept the room as she entered on Ignatz’s arm. The tables had been moved to the sides of the grand hall and the musicians were setting up their instruments at the head of the room. You could clearly see the divide of the Alliance mirrored in the room. Claude was on one side, surrounded by his primary supporters. Lorenz was on the other, loudly discussing the war and the Empire and how House Gloucster benefitted from trade with the Empire at this critical time. Hilda allowed herself one sigh, one moment of dread at the increasingly complicated game of chess she found herself in, before she squashed it down deep inside of herself, and plastered on her winning smile.

Ignatz escorted Hilda and Marianne over to Claude. The crowd surrounding Claude parted like the sea for the Lady Reigan, and Claude smiled warmly at Hilda, grasping her outstretched hand and kissing it gently.

“May I have this dance, milady?” He whispered to her as he pulled her away from Ignatz and into his arms. He brushed a kiss against Hilda’s cheeks, and turned her so her back was to him. His many decorative pins and gold jewelry felt cold on the bare skin of her back as he held her, one hand holding her waist, the other holding gently grasping her wrist as if he was admiring the jewelry she wore.

“Only if you tell Lorenz to shut up.” Hilda muttered darkly.

Claude murmured sympathetically, “I see tea with Marianne didn’t help?” Hilda sighed and leaned into Claude, craving a hug and a hot mug of tea now more than ever.

“It’s okay.” She lied. “I’m just tired.”

The musicians had finished setting up, and the violinist played the summoning note, a long high pitch. Claude escorted Hilda to the dance floor, and Hilda could see the laughter dancing behind his eyes. Claude still found the formality of dancing ridiculous; Hilda had spent many a conversation over tea defending formality from Claude’s attacks of “aesthetic over function”. Apparently dancing with no steps is more fun.

Dancing wasn’t about fun, anyway. It was about alliances.

“Well, lucky for you, after the dancing things will wrap up pretty quickly.” Claude said as he and Hilda took their places at the front of the line of couples. Hilda curtsied and Claude bowed. “Shall I have the maids put hot plates in bed so it’s nice and warm when we get in?”

“Will we be sharing a bed tonight, milord?” Hilda asked quietly as they began to dance, circling each other with long graceful steps and the occasional twirl. The couples wove through each other as they danced up and down the line.

Claude and Hilda met in the middle, nearly touching hands before breaking away and continuing down the line.

“I was hoping…” Claude said in a musing tone of voice. “I’ve missed you the past few weeks.” Between preparations for the party, various political meetings, and seeing their other partners, Claude and Hilda had not shared a bed in almost two months.

Immediately Hilda’s mind raced, hundreds of thoughts flying from place to place like Pegasi fresh out of bed. When they reached the end of the line, Hilda was swept away by Lorenz, and Hilda was genuinely grateful. She could use the space from Claude to plan.

She was, of course, dancing with Lorenz for a reason. Dancing was about alliances after all. The Alliance had to put up a front of camaraderie.

“Milady.” Lorenz said to her as he waltzed her back up the line to reunite with Claude.

“Your Grace.” Hilda replied. She couldn’t well refuse Claude without causing some ill will. Claude and Hilda, while arranged to be married, did care about each other. A lot. Hilda remembered the early days of the academy, before things truly went horrible. She and Claude weren’t **inseparable** , but they clicked in a way they didn’t with other students, at least at first. Hilda still **clearly** remembered the rush of blood to her face as Claude told her she could grasp **anything** of his. She honestly hadn’t been expecting it. And throughout their marriage, Claude prided himself on being open and honest with his intentions with her. Hilda couldn’t well refuse to share a bed without a good reason, she owed Claude that. And seeing the enemy was not a reason. Could seeing Marianne be a reason?

“It is customary, I thought,” Lorenz said quietly as they waltzed, “to make polite conversation while dancing.”

“Oh I’m terribly sorry,” Hilda said on autopilot. “I don’t think the pastries I had this evening agreed with me. Tell me, how is the Duchess?”

“Leonie is well, she is currently working…” That was all Lorenz needed to prattle about his charity work (which as far as Hilda was concerned was a tool to win the people to his side in the war) until he deposited her back at the top of the line and reluctantly bowed at Claude.

“So?” Claude asked. “The hot plates?”

“I was going to see Marianne tonight, milord.” Hilda said quietly, bashfully.

Claude smirked as they separated for a brief twirl through another couple. Hilda could see his devious mind cooking up a number of responses, and she only hoped he chose a tame one in case they were overheard.

“Marianne could always join in…” Claude suggested nonchalantly when they reunited in the middle.

“My lord!” Hilda gasped, playfully glaring at him. “I don’t think Marianne will appreciate that!”

“Of course not.” Claude said, grinning at his joke nevertheless. “It’s up to you, my love.”

They separated again, and Hilda knew it was now or never. She had to choose, and then she had to plan. To spend the night with Claude or Ferdinand - oh the plight of the nobility, Hilda thought. She hadn’t seen Ferdinand in months, but maybe it’d be best if he left as soon as possible. The longer he stayed the more likely he’d be found out, and with his finding, soon his relationship with Hilda would come to light. It was harebrained to spend the night with him in the first place… No, inns on the border were a much safer option, surely… She remembered how safe she had just felt on the balcony, hugging Ferdinand, how warm she felt when he had cooed at her. She longed for that.

But no. The last thing she needed was Claude getting suspicious, and Ferdinand getting caught. She would see Ferdinand soon, she promised herself. She only hoped Ferdinand wouldn’t be too upset. As she and Claude reunited for the final steps of the dance, waltzing together across the starry floor, she smiled a tired but sincere smile at him.

“I’ve missed you too.” She said to him. “Sometimes I feel we’ve lost our closeness from youth.”

“We’re still young.” Claude said. “Plenty of time to win it back.” And as they entered the final pose of the dance, with Hilda being dipped and putting a hand across her chest in a dramatic display of exhaustion and frailty, Claude dared a kiss on her cheek.

Claude pulled Hilda up amidst the applause from the watchers and other dancers. Hilda curtsied to Claude, her mind grasping for a way to let Ferdinand know of the change in plans. She couldn’t trust a servant to do it. She could go to Shamir, Hilda mused, but that might end up putting herself in a money fight against her husband. Not to mention Shamir didn’t seem to like Hilda. No, Hilda knew as Claude escorted her off the dance floor, there was only one person she could trust with this.

Claude escorted Hilda to the sidelines, where she could rest between dances. He kissed her cheek once more, and then excused himself, presumably to go find a servant to prepare their bed. Hilda watched Ignatz escort Marianne off the dance floor, his head only reaching her shoulder and he taking twice as many steps as she. She smiled to herself, thinking Ignatz would’ve been much better for Marianne than Ashe. But, this was war, and alliances had to be maintained. As a merchant, Ignatz couldn’t help with that by marrying Marianne. But Hilda had hoped, when they were younger, that Ignatz and Marianne would elope together. She seemed so much happier and more herself with him.

Ignatz and Marianne approached Hilda. “I’ll dance with you next, milady.” Ignatz said to Hilda, out of breath from the dancing. “Maya will chop my ear off if I don’t dance with her for this one; it’s her favorite.”

“Maybe take a break, Ignatz!” Hilda said playfully. “Catch your breath! No one wants a sweaty dance partner.”

Ignatz shrugged. “Funnily enough, my wife doesn’t seem to mind.”

Hilda and Marianne chuckled as Ignatz downed a glass of wine in one gulp, stretched, and returned to the dance floor to find his wife. As soon as he was out of earshot, Marianne turned to Hilda.

“What in the name of the Goddess was **that**?” She whispered, sliding her hand into Hilda’s and interlacing their fingers firmly.

“I can’t tell you here!” Hilda said in disbelief. “The whole Alliance would hear!”

“How long?” Marianne asked, keeping it vague.

Hilda sighed. “Since the Academy. We’ve been sending letters and seeing each other here and there since the war started.”

“Are you insane?” Marianne asked, but it sounded like she had already decided the matter of Hilda’s sanity.

“Probably.”

“Claude can’t possibly know.”

“No one knows but you. Maybe Shamir, if she reads my mail.”

Marianne gave a frustrated huff. “And you felt guilty for not telling Claude about Raphael.”

“I’m sorry.” Hilda said simply. There was nothing more she could say. It was utter insanity to have continued this relationship with Ferdinand as long as she had. There was no excuse, it was reckless and dangerous, and in allowing Marianne to find out, Hilda had put Marianne in danger as well.

Marianne cracked a small smile. “And I truly underestimated how similar your love life is to a romance novel.”

“It’s not nearly as fun living it as it is reading it.” Hilda said. “You won’t tell anyone?”

“Of course not, my love.” Marianne said. “We can’t choose who we love. And it could’ve been worse. You could’ve been in love with Hubert.”

Just like that Hilda let out an unseemly cackle, and soon she and Marianne were laughing together at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. Only a waiter approaching them with more sweets got them to calm down, since there’s a real risk of choking if one laughs when eating the flaky pastries.

“So you’re seeing him tonight?” Marianne asked quietly as they picked apart pastries.

Hilda sighed. “Here’s the thing… Claude wants to see me tonight.”

“It doesn’t stop, does it?” Marianne deadpanned. Hilda shook her head.

“I have a favor…” Hilda said hesitantly. It wasn’t fair to ask this of Marianne, but Hilda had few other allies. Few other options. Marianne raised a brow and waited expectantly. “I need you to go to my private rooms and tell Ferdinand to get out of the palace. Drag him to the stables if you have to.”

“And in exchange?” Marianne asked, a bratty smile on her face. Hilda smiled, sticking her tongue out at Marianne.

“Brat.” Hilda said. “Name your price.”

“I was thinking of visiting my father sometime this month.” Marianne said. “I’d love if you could accompany me.”

“A fair price.” Hilda said, blowing a kiss at Marianne to seal the deal, since they couldn’t well kiss in the middle of the party. “He’ll knock four times.”

“I’ll go after the party.” Marianne promised. The two ate pastries together in silence after that, enjoying each other’s company and watching as the second round of dancing came to a close. Hilda hid a yawn as the music quieted. It was getting late, and increasingly the thought of a warmed bed and a quiet night with Claude seemed increasingly appealing. Maybe she was getting old. Was it only a few years ago that she could attend dances late into the night and **still** be raring for more when they ended?

There was also the matter of what Ferdinand had told her. The Empire had to be planning something, if Ferdinand was going to be “on a trip” where he couldn’t send letters. And then he had mentioned being “in the area”… But who to tell this information to? Shamir or Claude were the obvious choices. But how could she have come by this information? She couldn’t well say she had received a tip from her lover in the Empire.

Hilda was deep in thought trying to come up with a cover story when Ignatz approached her for their dance. He bowed formally and took her arm, and Hilda forced herself to make conversation as they danced. The grand clock chimed midnight as the final dance ended, and Hilda sighed with relief. All she had to do was make her goodbyes. It had been an exciting night, and she was more drained than she normally would be. She kissed Ignatz on the cheek, and thanked him and Maya for coming.

Claude returned, taking her arm. “Ready for bed?” He asked her as they moved around the room saying goodbye to their guests.

“I’m ready to get out of this dress.” Hilda said. She could feel herself crashing; suddenly all the heavy fabric of her dress seemed to be dragging her down to the floor.

“I could always help with that.” Claude said suggestively, his hand brushing her ass.

“You’re such a tease!” Said Hilda.

“Perk up, my dear, gotta put on a brave face for Lorenz.”

Hilda immediately straightened and put on her winning smile. Lorenz had a pretentiously lazy grin on his face, as always.

“An amazing party, as always.” Lorenz said, bowing stiffly to the two of them.

“Thank you.” Hilda said demurely. “I had fun organizing it.”

“One of the few things my darling wife will put in effort for.” Claude said. “Make sure you get home safe, Lorenz.”

“I will be sure to.” Lorenz said. “I hope at our next Roundtable we will be able to discuss - “

“Please Lorenz, you’ve been at it all night.” Claude said. “We’ll discuss the war at the next Roundtable, and I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it drag on like you always do.”

“I only hope you’ll be more receptive to the gains trade with the Empire would bring to the Alliance.” Lorenz said with an air of superiority.

Claude dropped his grin. “As if you already haven’t been conducting trade in your region without Roundtable approval. **That** will most certainly be discussed.”

“I can’t control every little thing the commoners do.”

“But regulating trade is one of your noble duties, isn’t it?” Said Hilda.

“As I said, we will discuss it.” Claude said. “Have a good night, Lorenz. Give my well wishes to Leonie.”

As they walked away, Hilda sighed. “That could’ve gone better.”

“With Lorenz, it could always have been worse.” Said Claude. “Now, let’s retire. I’ll have the servants bring us some hot cocoa.”

As much as Hilda would’ve loved to just fall into bed as soon as she was in her and Claude’s shared rooms, she had to get out of her dress, and unfortunately that required help. Claude walked into their rooms with two mugs of hot cocoa and set them on the table as a servant girl was untying the laces of Hilda’s corset. He was dressed in his night clothes, no shirt and loose cropped trousers. The servant girl stopped to bow to Claude, a blush coloring her cheeks, and Claude waved her away.

“Leave us.” Claude said. “I’ll handle it.” The servant girl curtsied and hurried from the room. Claude pulled Hilda into a hug. Hilda would’ve crumpled into him, but her corset was still on. “Are you okay, sweet baby?” He asked her.

“I’m so tired…” Hilda whispered into his bare chest, tears of exhaustion, worry, and frustration pricking at her eyes.

“I know.” Claude cooed at her, running his fingers through her hair and picking out all the barrettes and pins that held it in place. “Let me help you.” He kissed her forehead, and gently turned her around, kissing the nape of her neck as his nimble fingers undid the last of the laces of her corset. Archers were often very talented with their fingers, Hilda thought with a half smile as she enjoyed the attention Claude lavished upon her.

As the corset came undone, Claude wrapped his arms around Hilda, hugging her from behind and kissing her shoulder as he pushed the fabric of the dress off her body. The outer dress pooled at her ankles, leaving Hilda in her underdress and suddenly very chilly. Claude’s hands wandered up her body to caress her breasts, his lips pressing gentle kisses all over her skin. Slowly Hilda’s mind began to empty, her hand coming to rest on Claude’s thigh as Claude kissed the stress out of her shoulders.

“I told you I missed you.” He murmured as his fingers grazed her nipple, making them perk up.

“I missed you, too.” Hilda whispered, before taking a deep breath free from the corset. She sighed, realizing now is as good a time as any to come clean about Raphael. “Before we really relax, though, I have to tell you something.”

“What?” Claude asked.

“I’ve started seeing Raphael.” Hilda confessed. “For about a month now.”

Claude squeezed her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. “A month?”

“I’m sorry, I should’ve told you sooner.” Hilda winced, hoping she hadn’t angered Claude. But still, he deserved to know.

“Did it start after he brought you that diamond encrusted axe?” Claude asked with a smile in his voice. “I knew something was up with that. That’s practically an engagement ring.”

Hilda laughed. “Yeah, it’s made of rare pink diamonds and cost him a fortune.” She paused. “You’re not mad?”

“Of course not, thank you for telling me.” Claude said, turning her around and kissing her on the lips. It was a gentle kiss, a sweet kiss. No tongue, just a kiss of acceptance, love, and mutual respect. At least at first. Claude sucked Hilda’s bottom lip into his mouth and lightly bit, taking a step towards the bed. Hilda pulled away, inspiration suddenly hitting her.

“There’s more.” Hilda said breathlessly. Claude waited expectantly. “He sent me a letter earlier.” The words left her mouth with almost no vetting. “He mentioned the empire’s troops were on the move. Generals are with them.”

Claude’s face became serious. “Hmm…” he hummed to himself. He went to the table, handing Hilda a mug of hot chocolate while he wrote a short note. He folded it up and sealed it, setting it aside. “That’s intriguing. Thank you for telling me.” Hilda took a sip of the hot chocolate. “Anything else you need to tell me, my love?” Hilda shook her head. Claude guided her towards the bed. “Then let’s relax. The bed’s nice and warm for you.”

Hilda set her hot chocolate on the nightstand and pulled back the covers, sliding into the warm embrace of the bedsheets. She almost instantly felt her muscles relax as she pulled the covers back up. Claude got into bed beside her. “Arm pillow?” He asked her, and Hilda eagerly accepted, rolling onto her side and resting her head on Claude’s arm. Claude snuggled up to Hilda, and his free hand wrapped around Hilda’s waist.

“I wish we could spend more time together…” Hilda sighed as she relaxed.

“We always could.” Claude said. “I certainly wouldn’t object.”

“More time like this.” Hilda said, sleep grasping at the edges of her brain. “I like this. I’m happy.”

“I’m glad you’re happy, my love.” Claude whispered as Hilda slowly fell asleep, wrapped in Claude’s warm embrace.


	3. Chapter 3

After the party, Marianne snuck into the servant’s halls to get to Hilda’s rooms. Most of the waitstaff knew of Hilda and Marianne’s relationship, but given that guests were still in the palace, Marianne wanted to play it safe. The servant’s halls lacked the golden drapery and warm candlelight of the main hallways, winding like a labyrinth into the depths of the palace. Marianne shivered as she skirted a shattered teapot and a puddle of cold tea. She certainly had a lot to think about.

Though she had been accepting when Hilda had explained her relationship with Ferdinand, part of Marianne couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer stupidity of it. While the Alliance was technically neutral in the war, Hilda had to know it couldn’t end well. The Alliance had a few ties of marriage to the Kingdom, Marianne herself was evidence of that. Her marriage to Ashe, one of Dimitri’s men who had been granted noble status and land, was a taciturn pledge of allegiance to the Kingdom. Only Lord Arundel’s marriage to a minor Imperial lord provided the same pledge to the Empire.

Since the Alliance maintained neutrality in theory, what Hilda was doing wasn’t technically treason, but… it was pretty close. A high ranking general in the Imperial army had infiltrated the palace of the leader of the Alliance! Shamir would have a fit if she found out! If the Empire won the war with the Kingdom, surely they would turn their eyes to the Alliance next. And the fact that Claude didn’t know about it… If Hilda was found out it would be a mighty fall from grace, and Marianne’s heart clenched with worry for her closest friend. Imagine if Lorenz found out! The wife of the leader of the opposing faction was in a relationship with an Imperial general! The political damage he could do with that information would be horrendous, and Claude would be caught completely off guard!

Marianne pushed open the door into Hilda’s room, coming out of the wall into a very plain (for Hilda), still brightly pink bedroom. The bedclothes were a baby pink, and rosy perfume hung in the air. An axe, a gift from Raphael, was hung on the wall, and a commissioned painting by Ignatz of Hilda wielding Freikugel in battle hung on the wall above the bed. In the corner, Hilda’s handicrafts were strewn about a desk, needlework and beading in intricate designs. Hilda seemed to be currently stitching something into the cuff of a large man’s shirtsleeve. A gift for Raphael, maybe?

There was nothing left to do but wait for Ferdinand to make his appearance. Marianne hoped he wasn’t caught before she could get to him. Ferdinand had never been one for subtlety, and though he had more tact than Lorenz, humility wasn’t something that had been instilled in Ferdinand from a young age. How he had managed to pass a servant and sneak into the palace was truly beyond Marianne, and she had half a mind to think that there was a traitor in the waitstaff. If only she could bring that up to Shamir without arousing suspicion.

Marianne wandered around the room, trailing her fingertips lightly over the soft fabrics of the upholstery. Everything in the room was soft, pink, warm, and inviting. With a sad smile, Marianne wished Ashe had allowed her as much freedom to decorate as Claude had with Hilda. Marianne’s rooms back in her own estate (well, Ashe’s estate, gifted to him by Dimitri) were as cold and dank as the servants hallways had been in comparison.

Marianne and Ashe had a functional relationship if nothing else. They had been friends at the academy, before the war, and when Claude had pressured Marianne’s adoptive father to arrange the marriage after Ashe had been granted a title and land, Marianne hadn’t been opposed to the match. Ashe was sweet, kind, and respectful, and he assured Marianne before the marriage that she would always be provided for. Of course he had also told her that he would never love her… Though she supposed it was better that he was upfront about his relationship with Dedue and Felix, rather than her finding out through court gossip. She only wished he wasn’t so flagrant with his infidelity. Marianne hated spending time in Faerghus. Being a foreign bride was bad enough, but being made an obvious beard for her husband was even worse.

Marianne sunk into a fluffy cushioned chair by the fireplace, tired from the nights events and her mind still whirring from the cannonball Hilda had fired by revealing her relationship with Ferdinand. She laid her head back in the cushions and watched the firelight bounce off the axe in soothing pinkish waves as she waited for Ferdinand to show his face.

To be fair, when Ashe and Marianne spent a month together to fulfill the marriage contract (an heir and a spare was recommended for all couples in such trying times as a war to end all wars), Ashe was perfectly attentive and had no trouble sharing her bed. Marianne fondly remembered their teatimes together, where they talked as they used to before their marriage, about books and knights and the Goddess. It was hard to reconcile the two Ashe’s in her mind. Ashe had seemed, both at school and in their few times together now, to truly accept Marianne despite her Crest, to truly believe that she wasn’t a bad omen. But she had heard whispers the last time she was in Fhirdiad… She had yet to fall pregnant despite nearly four years of marriage.

She smirked to herself. No wonder she hadn’t fallen pregnant, she thought sardonically. Her husband was well known for being the token arm candy of the king’s attendant. As far as the rest of the Kingdom knew, Marianne was just a symbol of the Kingdom’s alliance with the Alliance. As far as Marianne was concerned, no one could blame her for not falling pregnant, and yet she knew if her barren state continued it was only a matter of time before things became precarious for her.  
A soft rapping at the door interrupted her reverie. Yet more evidence for why Ferdinand should’ve been caught by now, Marianne thought grimly. A real servant would’ve knocked from the servant’s halls at this hour. Marianne rose and hurried to the door.

“My lady?” Ferdinand whispered, giving a poor attempt to disguise his voice that honestly just made him sound sick. Marianne opened the door.

“Not qui-“ Marianne started, before Ferdinand hurried into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. His arms snaked around Marianne’s waist, pulling her into him and crushing her against his chest. Marianne brought her hands up to shove him away. “Hey!” She hissed.

“Shhh, baby…” Ferdinand cooed, bringing one hand under her chin and tilting her face up to his. Marianne felt a vibrant blush color her cheeks at the passion she felt emanating from him. Marianne had never felt this heat from Ashe whenever they were together. She felt wanted, if only for a split second, before she reminded herself that Ferdinand didn’t know who he was holding. His lips were almost touching hers before his eyes widened in shock. “Oh dear…” he whispered, a slight smile on his face. How dare he smile at her flustered face? “There seems to have been some mistake.”

“You’re telling me.” Marianne snapped, pushing once more against his chest. She could see in his eyes his confusion as he processed that it was not, in fact, Hilda in his arms, could see him calculating (calculating what she was not sure), and finally he stepped away from her.

“I’m sorry.” He said as he dropped his hands from her face. Marianne took a step back as well, taking a deep breath. “I was looking for Hilda.”

“Hilda is with her husband.” Marianne said simply. Ferdinand’s smile dropped. “My job is to get you to the stables and out of Alliance territory.”

“We were supposed to see each other.” Ferdinand explained, almost pleadingly.

“I heard.” Marianne said, raising her eyebrows. “I was there.”

“She still saw Claude?”

“He is her husband, after all.”

Ferdinand didn’t seem to have a response to that. “I have to leave right now?”

Marianne pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to be babysitting Ferdinand longer than absolutely necessary. “Hilda won’t be coming back to her rooms tonight. Don’t you have to leave in the early hours anyway?”

“Would you mind waiting while I write Hilda a letter?” Ferdinand asked.

Marianne sighed. “Fine. But be quick. The sooner you’re out of the palace the better.”

Ferdinand smiled, moving to the desk. He gently moved Hilda’s handicrafts out of the way, and reached into the drawer and pulled out a sheet of parchment and a quill. He dipped it in the well and began hurriedly scrawling out a letter. “Aw, come on, Marianne, you’re acting like I’m your mortal enemy or something!” Marianne glared at him, choosing not to dignify that utterly stupid comment with a response. Ferdinand’s smile changed, almost imperceptibly, and his eyes, while still bright, looked appraising. “You’re different, Marianne.”

“It’s been five years.” Marianne said. “And we haven’t really had reason to see each other much.”

“Which is a crying shame.” Ferdinand quipped with a wink in his voice. “You seem taller, more assured. It suits you.”

“I’ll be sure to tell Hilda how you flirted with me while writing her a love letter.”

“Am I flirting?” Ferdinand asked as he finished the letter with a swirl of the pen. He smiled at Marianne, and his eyes danced dangerously. “Do you want me to flirt?”

“I want you to follow me to the stables.” Marianne said firmly despite the second blush she felt rising on her face.

“Whatever you say milady!” Ferdinand said with a flourished bow.

“Just try not to act like the center of attention.” Marianne said. “It’s not very servantly of you.” Marianne crossed the room to the servant’s entrance and pried the door open. The servants should all be busy cleaning up after the party. If they were quick, they could make it with as few eyes seeing them as possible. “Follow me.” She whispered to Ferdinand, closing the door behind him as he followed her into the hallway.

They began their journey, walking briskly through the chilly halls. Out of the corner of her eye, Marianne noticed that he walked with a regality that was noble born and bred. He couldn’t even walk like a servant, though she supposed that, as long as no one saw them, it couldn’t matter too much, since he was almost gone.

There was an awkward silence between them as they walked, but Marianne was in no rush to break it. Evidently the same couldn’t be said of Ferdinand.

“Does Ashe treat you well?” He asked suddenly as they turned a corner.

“Hmm?” Marianne asked.

“Your husband.” Ferdinand clarified. “How are you together?”

Marianne scowled. “Do you mean to mock me, Ferdinand, when I could scream and reveal you to the whole castle?”

Ferdinand smiled lightly. “Hilda would get caught up in it too, and you’d never do that to her. I didn’t mean to mock you, Marianne. I’ve never mocked you.”

That was true, Marianne supposed. At the academy, Ferdinand had been pompous and loud, sure, but whenever they spoke Ferdinand never condescended to her, and listened attentively when she spoke (especially since she often whispered back then).

“My apologies.” Marianne said stiffly. “My marriage is a sore subject.”

“I suppose that answers my question, then.” Ferdinand replied.

“You can’t be unaware of my husband and Dedue’s relationship.”

“I doubt there’s a soul in Fódlan who is unaware.” Ferdinand said. “Which is why I asked. It seems out of character of him to be so callous to you.”

Marianne sighed, leading him down a flight of stairs. “He’s not like that when we’re alone.”

Ferdinand made a knowing sort of noise. “So he’s two faced then.”

“He’s honest.” Marianne said in a compromise. She had resigned herself to her marriage. “What of Petra?”

“She’s currently visiting Caspar and Dorothea in Bergliez territory.”

“Blissfully unaware of your infidelity and treason combined?”

“We have an… arrangement.”

Marianne gave a hollow laugh. “Do you like each other?”

“We have a child on the way.” Ferdinand reported.

“But do you like each other?” Marianne pressed.

Ferdinand looked sideways at her in the dim light. “Physically, we can’t keep off each other. Emotionally… we get along, if nothing else.” Marianne nodded. Not that bad, as arranged marriages went. “How would you describe you and Ashe?”

Marianne supposed it was only fair, since she had asked first. “Like you, we have an arrangement. What little time we spend together isn’t bad.”

“But are you happy?” Ferdinand asked, and Marianne stopped in her tracks. How long had it been since someone other than Hilda had asked her that? Honestly it wasn’t a question that should require much thought, but Marianne had to ponder for a second if she was happy. Was she happy living her life in a dull drear, punctuated by brief moments of bliss with Hilda and the occasional fling?

Ferdinand had stopped as well, looking at her with a sad smile. “I suppose that answers my question.” He made a move to approach her, and then stopped himself. “Come on, we have to go. How far are we?”

Marianne took a deep breath and shook herself. “Not far. Follow me.” And she hurried ahead down the hall. A few turns later, and they reached a door on the side of the palace. This was the most dangerous stretch. They would be visible to anyone looking out a window. She looked at Ferdinand. “We need to sprint, and be quiet.” Ferdinand nodded, and Marianne blew out the candle. She opened the door, and was momentarily surprised when Ferdinand grabbed her hand. People didn’t often touch her, and though she wasn’t quite convinced she was bad luck anymore, a shred of worry wormed its way into her. This was the worst possible moment for bad luck to strike. But she didn’t have long to be surprised, because then Ferdinand was running, dragging Marianne along with her, and the two of them made a mad dash for the stables.

The adrenaline pumped through her body, and though it was dark, Marianne felt as if she saw clearly for the first time in a while. Running for dear life for the stables with an enemy of the state, the lover of her lover, helping him flee, was this her life? Was she always a secondary character in everyone else’s story? Was this the true curse of her Crest? Or was this a curse of her own making?

Marianne and Ferdinand skittered to a stop, and Ferdinand heaved open the stable doors. Marianne dashed inside, and Ferdinand hauled the doors closed behind them.


	4. Chapter 4

“Goddess above!” Marianne exclaimed.

“Do you think we were seen?” Ferdinand whispered.

“I suppose we’ll soon find out.” Marianne responded, catching her breath. They hadn’t brought the candle with them, so both of them stayed still for a moment, catching their breaths and waiting for their eyes to adjust. The horses stirred slightly at their presence, and one of them whinnied for food.

“Who’s horse am I taking?” Ferdinand asked.

“Mine.” Marianne said immediately. “Leave her in the town by the river and I’ll send a servant to bring him back.”

“Got it.” Ferdinand said. Once they could see a bit better, Marianne led Ferdinand to a white mare named Frost. “She’s beautiful.”

“She’s one of my only friends.” Marianne said, running her hand through Frost’s mane.

“I’ll take good care of her.” Ferdinand promised. He paused, looking thoughtful as Marianne readied Frost for a ride.

“If you’ve something to say, say it.” Marianne said. “I have fervent hopes you’ll never be stupid enough to attempt this again, in which case we’ll likely never see each other again.”

“I wanted better for you.” Ferdinand confessed, sounding vulnerable for the first time, his usual confidence gone. “At the academy, you always looked so sad, like you wanted to shrivel up and disappear right then.”

“I did.” Marianne admitted.

“And you still do.” Ferdinand said, his eyes meeting hers in a challenge. “You’re just better at hiding it. Before the war, I was hoping to befriend you. You deserve more friends than horses. You deserve better than Ashe. You deserve to be happy.” 

Marianne’s mouth opened in surprise. “Why are you telling me this?” She asked.

“Like you said, this is probably one of the last times we’ll ever see each other.” Ferdinand said. He reached out to her, grabbing her hand in a gentle grip and bringing her fingers to his lips. “I want to make you happy, Marianne, if only for a moment.” His eyes met hers in the moonlight, and Marianne gasped as his lips brushed her fingers.

“I don’t know if that’s possible.” Marianne said, surprised by the sadness in her voice.

Ferdinand straightened up. “Can I kiss you?” He asked.

Marianne blinked. “Excuse me?” Ferdinand smiled.  
“Can I kiss you?” He repeated. “On the lips. Tongue is optional.” 

“Rake!” Marianne exclaimed, but a smile reached her eyes for the first time in a while at the sheer audacity of it all. As she thought about it, though, she realized something. As Hanneman would say back at the academy, she could do an experiment on her Crest. Was it her Crest causing her woes and existential dread, or was it her? Was she cursed to being a side character, or could she reclaim her own story? “You may.”

Ferdinand smiled at her, moonlight kissing his face from the window above the horse’s stall. He looked absolutely radiant, a silverish glow touching his vibrantly red hair. His hands once again reached out for her, grabbing her by the waist and leading her out to the hallway between the rows of stalls, barely wide enough for three people. For a few minutes, they swayed back and forth in the moonlight, like children learning the first steps of a dance. 

Marianne was simultaneously unsure of the whole thing and holding back laughter at the ridiculousness of it. “Aren’t you going to kiss me?” She asked, chuckling.

“Eager, aren’t we?” Ferdinand said, twirling her and pulling her into a dip. A strand of her hair came loose from the updo she had it in, and as he pulled her back up to her feet, he brushed the lock behind her ear. “You’re beautiful, you know that? Positively divine.” Marianne blinked, and almost broke away from their little dance, struck by the sincerity of his voice. Up until now, Marianne had been unsure of him, and indeed of the whole situation, but right then, Marianne saw the young man from the academy, the young man who tried to see the good in everyone and who truly embodied nobility. It was a good feeling, to be complimented so sincerely, to feel so truly seen.

Ferdinand pulled her in closer, chest to chest. “My goal right now is to give you a moment of happiness. I’m gonna do it right.” He once again began swaying her in the cramped aisle, and Marianne raised her gaze to look in his eyes. She was lost in the ocean of his pale blue eyes, and she saw kindness in them, a gentleness. A sense of security washed over her. Marianne felt as if the barn was slowly fading away. She and Ferdinand could be dancing anywhere in the world right now. It was just he and her.

Her hands were awkwardly resting on his chest, and, hesitantly, Marianne let them roam, up to his shoulders, one hand to cup his cheek. Ferdinand smiled, and grabbed her hand, pulling it away to kiss the inside of her wrist. The tenderness with which Ferdinand treated her made her feel more cared for than Marianne remembered feeling since childhood. Even if Ferdinand was just doing this out of the kindness of his soul, out of some kind of yearning for simpler times, or even just as a game, he was damned good at making Marianne feel like the only woman on the continent. No wonder Hilda is so in love with him.

Naturally, as their eyes met once more, Marianne leaned in to him, resting her head on his chest as they swayed back and forth. Ferdinand wrapped his arms around her, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Once again, his hand cupped her chin, and he tilted her head upwards to look at him. Marianne’s eyes half closed as they leaned into each other, still slightly nervous as their lips connected. It was a chaste kiss at first, testing the waters, and Ferdinand pulled away almost immediately to gauge her reaction. She smiled encouragingly at him, and he leaned in for another kiss. His lips moved against hers, and Marianne tried to remember how to kiss back like Ashe seemed to like, but this was nothing like kissing Ashe. As Ferdinand continued to kiss her, she felt that heat, that passion, rise once again out of Ferdinand’s chest, and she was surprised to feel that same heat seeping out of her own soul. Her lips moved on their own, and when Ferdinand’s bottom lip fell between hers, she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and lightly bit.

There was a rumble in Ferdinand’s chest as he chuckled. His hand moved from her chin to her neck, and he squeezed lightly, not enough to hurt her, just to surprise. Her mouth opened, and Ferdinand seized his opportunity to take control. His tongue ran across her lips, and he deftly turned her head to the side and began trailing kissing down her jaw and neck. He stopped at her pulse point and sucked lightly.

“No.” Marianne said breathily. “No marks.”

Ferdinand pulled away. “No marks.” He agreed. He kissed his way back up to her mouth, before breaking away. They stared at each other, breathing heavily. 

“That was…” Marianne said.

“Good?” Ferdinand asked. It certainly had been for him. If he hadn’t stopped when he had, there was very good chance he wouldn’t have stopped. Marianne nodded, thoroughly taken aback by how hot she had suddenly become. She needed to get out of this dress, it was too tight. Ferdinand, for his part, couldn’t help but notice how her breasts rose and fell as Marianne caught her breath. “Do you want another?”

Suddenly their situation came crashing back around them, and Marianne realized exactly what had just happened. She needed to get him out of here.

“We should probably get you off the grounds.” She said, a hint of sadness and longing in her voice.

“We should.” Ferdinand agreed. “Though I could always leave after we finish kissing.”

Marianne paused for a moment, and she couldn’t believe what she was about to say, but… no one but them would ever know she said it, and fuck it. She felt wanted. She knew how men kissed when they wanted her and when they had to. Ferdinand had wanted her then, she knew it. And she would prove it.

“Only kissing?” She asked, and she prayed she didn’t sound awkward.

Ferdinand’s smile became playful. “That’s up to you, my lady. As long as I’m on these grounds, I’m a servant. I’m here to do your bidding. Your wish is my command.”

Well, if she was being bold… Marianne thought to herself. “Kiss me again,” she ordered. Ferdinand wasted no time, pulling her back into him and crushing his lips into hers. Their tongues danced, and Marianne’s mind became a haze of feeling, sucking, biting and grabbing. Ferdinand kept a hand on her neck, lightly choking her as his other hand gradually settled on cupping her ass through her skirts. Marianne pulled away, grabbing the hand that was choking her. “Harder.” She ordered.

“Shake your head if it’s too hard.” Ferdinand murmured, before reclaiming her lips. His fingers lightly traced the vessels in her neck before firmly grabbing her neck and squeezing, harder this time, and the rush made Marianne dizzy. Her knees weakened, and she slumped slightly in Ferdinand’s arms, only staying standing by his support. Just when she felt she couldn’t take it anymore, he released her neck, and kissed his way down her neck. His hands were grabbing at her skirts, desperately moving fabric out of the way. He kissed the curve of her breasts, and Marianne realized she needed to feel skin on skin. She needed him. She reached behind her and began undoing the lacing on her corset.

Ferdinand saw what she was doing. “Are you sure?” He asked. Marianne nodded furiously, struggling with the laces. “Let me.” He said, turning her around. His fingers deftly undid her laces, and he roughly pushed the dress down her body. He kissed her neck from behind, his hands reaching around to grab her breasts, lightly squeezing and twisting. Marianne pressed herself into him, and felt his erection through her trousers.

“Well?” Marianne asked, surprised by the sultry tone she heard in her voice. “Take your shirt off.”

Ferdinand groaned, and bit her neck. “Yes ma’am.” He said breathily. He took off his jacket and flung it to some distant corner of the stable and got to work unbuttoning his shirt. Marianne knelt, and undid the clasp of his belt and the buttons of his trousers. Impatiently, she pulled them down. Her fingers wrapped around Ferdinand’s dick and she started stroking, looking up at Ferdinand. He had stopped undoing his buttons. His shirt was half undone, revealing a surprisingly chiseled physique. But his eyes, his eyes were filled with desire and need. His fingers wove through Marianne’s hair, tearing more locks out of their place. “Please.” He breathed.

Marianne stroked slowly, teasingly. “I thought I was the one giving orders here?” She asked lightly, before taking the head in her mouth and sucking. Ferdinand bucked in her mouth.

“Please, Marianne.” His voice was husky. “I need you.” Without pulling away to respond, Marianne went lower on his dick, taking more of him into her mouth. Her jaw stretched uncomfortably, but giving head was rarely comfortable. Her head bobbed up and down on his dick, his head in her hair guiding her speed. The air was filled with Ferdinand’s soft and needy moans.

Ferdinand pulled her up. “I need to fuck you.” He whispered. He picked her up, and her legs naturally wrapped around his waist as he carried her and gently laid her down in a pile of hay. Not the most romantic place for a tryst, but times were hard. “Are you comfortable?” He asked, moonlight forming a halo around his face as he lined his cock up with her entrance.

“Yes.” Marianne said. “Fuck me.”

His cock slid into Marianne easily. “Yes ma’am.” He whispered in her ear as he began to fuck her. He wasn’t exactly gentle, but it wasn’t rough either. It was a frenzy, a manifestation of need and desire. It didn’t even matter that the hay was scratchy and a chill was settling over the night. All that mattered was their connection as they looked into each other’s eyes. Marianne clung to his shoulders as Ferdinand pounded into her.

He slowed down, lengthening his strokes, and leaned down to kiss her. “You’re beautiful.” He said breathily.

“You’re beautiful.” Marianne responded, her mind too blank to formulate its own response. “Faster, please!”

Ferdinand obliged, ramming into her. Marianne’s hand reached for his, and he interlaced their fingers as he fucked her. She felt his hard muscles pressed against her, felt the sweat beading on his back. In the back of her sex crazed mind, she registered that this was nothing like sex with Ashe. Right here, right now, Ferdinand wanted to be with her, wanted to be in her. Right now, this was her story. Hilda wasn’t on his mind, Marianne was.

Ferdinand’s thrusts became more erratic. “I’m gonna…” he groaned, beginning to pull out. Marianne wrapped her legs around him.

“No.” She whispered. Ferdinand’s thrusts became rough for the first time, and a few heartbeats later, he pulled her in for a kiss as his dick pulsed inside of her.

Ferdinand collapsed on the hay beside her. “Happy?” He asked in between gasps for air.

“Very decidedly content.” Marianne said as she snuggled up to him. In the back of her mind she knew their time was running short, but she refused to contemplate that now.

“I’m glad.” Ferdinand said, kissing her forehead. “I thoroughly enjoyed that. But…”

“I know.” Marianne said. “Just five minutes.”

“Five minutes.” Ferdinand said, and in those five minutes Marianne felt a kind of peace that she had only felt a few blessed times in her largely miserable life. In those five minutes, the world outside the stables didn’t matter. All that mattered was the bliss of two people sharing a moment, a connection, however fleeting. All that mattered was the warmth of Ferdinand next to her, the gentle kisses they shared, and the sweet nothings they whispered to each other.

But sadly, those five minutes had to end. Marianne was the first to rise, going to find her dress. She tied the corset herself, rather poorly, but she just needed to be covered as she snuck back into the palace and to her rooms. Ferdinand joined her, feeling around the floor for his trousers and pulling them back up.

“Thank you.” Marianne whispered once they were both dressed. Ferdinand, tender as he had ever been, pulled her in for a hug.

“Thank you.” He replied, pressing one last kiss to her forehead before he mounted Frost. Marianne opened the stable doors, and Ferdinand walked Frost to the door. “I hope to see you again, Marianne.”

“We won’t. Not under nearly as pleasant circumstances.” Marianne said.

“I hope we do.” Ferdinand said. “Hope runs everlasting, after all.”

Marianne smiled. “Goodbye, Ferdinand.”

“Farewell.” Ferdinand said, before clicking his tongue and riding Frost off into the night.


End file.
